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Seed cake and a glass of Madeira

Seed cake and a glass of Madeira

“Eleven o’clock and still two hours until lunchtime. Something to keep you steady – nothing finer than a slice of seed cake, washed down with a glass of Madeira. This will see you safely through until lunch.”
This is one of cult UK chef Fergus Henderson's favourite puddings from his book Beyond Nose to Tail (Allen & Unwin).

Seed cake and a glass of Madeira

Serves 6
Cooking Time Prep time 15 mins, cook 45 mins
260 gm   unsalted butter, softened
260 gm   caster sugar
1 tsp   caraway seeds
5   large (70gm each) eggs, lightly beaten
320 gm   self-raising flour
150 ml   full-cream milk


1 Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 16cm x 10cm x 8cm loaf tin with butter and line the base and sides with baking paper. Cream the butter, sugar and caraway seeds together with an electric mixer or in a bowl with a wooden spoon until they are white and fluffy. Gradually mix the beaten eggs, adding them little by little to prevent curdling. Then sift in the flour and mix until incorporated. Lastly, add the milk.
2 Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Serve with a glass of Madeira.


RECIPE Fergus Henderson and Justin Piers Gellatly PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Chen STYLING Emma Knowles and Elodie Rambaud


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